1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for arthroscopic repair of torn tissue, and more particularly to a method and device for arthroscopic repair of a torn rotator cuff.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 1, when a tear 2 occurs in the rotator cuff 4 of the shoulder, it is necessary to reattach the torn tendon to the bone of the humeral head 6.
Various repair methods are known. However, the known reattachment procedures are lengthy and complicated. In a surgical technique as described by Stephen J. Snyder, MD, Southern California Orthopedic Institute in "The Revo Rotator Cuff Fixation System", Linvatec Corp. (1993), screws pre-threaded with suture are first drilled into the bone and the suture threaded through each screw is retrieved from the repair site using a hook. A suture punch is used to puncture the torn cuff, and a shuttle is passed through the cuff and retrieved from an anterior cannula using a grasper instrument. An eyelet in the shuttle is loaded with a free end of the suture passing through one of the screws, and the shuttle is pulled through the cuff and out the anterior cannula using the grasper. This suturing procedure is repeated with the second free end of suture passing through the screw, after which the pair of suture strands is withdrawn from the lateral cannula. The above procedure is repeated until all of the suture strands from the screws are passed though the tear. The suture strands are then knotted and tied together to secure the reattached rotator cuff.
The above surgical technique is an "open" technique and, as with most open techniques, morbidity of the repair site can occur. Another disadvantage with the above-described technique is that separate grasping and puncturing instruments are required.
As in the above technique, it is known to grasp tissue using forceps during suturing. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,665,692 to L'Esperance and 5,304,203 to El-Mallawany et al. The forceps of U.S. Pat. No. 2,665,692 also include jaws 13 and 14 having openings which allow the surgeon to pass a needle therethrough. However, the forceps of this patent are not designed for arthroscopic surgical procedures.
All of the prior art techniques and devices discussed above require separate instruments to grasp the tissue to be repaired and to retrieve the suture from the arthroscopic surgery site. Thus, up to now, it has been necessary to use numerous different surgical devices in the confines of a very small area.